Boosting Your Brainpower in the Moment
Brainstorm. Brainstorming might give your brain the energy it requires to get to work. It’s an excellent warm-up exercise before getting started on a more serious task, such as writing an essay or studying for an exam. It can often help you become more creative. If you’re writing an essay, think about what you want to discuss before you get into the specifics of topic sentences and thesis statements. You are not required to use any of the ideas you generate in your essay. Brainstorming will simply aid to jumpstart your brain.
Take a deep breath
Deep breathing increases blood flow and oxygen levels, allowing your brain to function more efficiently. Doing 10-15 minutes of deep breathing each day can help in the long run, but doing some deep breathing before and during your studying (and even while you’re taking your exam) not only keeps oxygen and blood flow going to your brain, but it also keeps your anxiety levels down, which helps your brain function better. When you breathe, make sure it goes into the bottom of your lungs. Imagine a balloon swelling, first your belly, then your chest, and finally your neck. When you exhale, the breath travels in the other way, from the neck to the chest to the abdomen.
Drink green tea
According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, drinking 5 cups or more of green tea each day can reduce the risk of psychological distress by up to 20%. It can also provide a good boost, similar to coffee, to help keep your mind active throughout the day.
Take a rest
Taking a vacation is an excellent method to recharge your brain. This could be as simple as browsing the Internet for 15 minutes or switching to something else for a time to give your brain a break. It’s also a good idea to devote no more than an hour to one task before moving on to another for a bit. If you haven’t done anything in an hour, schedule more time to work on it later.
Laugh
People always claim that laughter is the best medicine, but it also stimulates different parts of the brain, allowing them to think more broadly and freely. Laughter is also a natural stress reliever, since stress hinders and limits brain function. Remind yourself to laugh, especially if you’re about to take a large test or write your final essay. Set a hilarious wallpaper for your computer or keep a funny joke close when studying.
Refer to it from time to time to have a good laugh. Deep breathing increases blood flow and oxygen levels, allowing your brain to function more efficiently. Practicing 10-15 minutes of deep breathing each day can assist in the long run, but practicing some deep breathing before and throughout your studies not only helps keep oxygen and blood flow going to your brain, but it also keeps your anxiety levels down, which helps your brain operate better. When you breathe, make sure it goes into the bottom of your lungs. Imagine a balloon swelling, first your belly, then your chest, and finally your neck. When you exhale, the breath travels in the other way, from the neck to the chest to the abdomen.
Boosting Your Brainpower Long-Term
Consume brain-boosting foods. There are numerous foods that can assist increase your brainpower. Conversely, some foods, such as those high in sugar and processed carbs, “junk food” and soda, impair brain processes and make you foggy and sluggish.
Foods strong in omega-3 fatty acids include walnuts and salmon, ground flaxseed, winter squash, kidney and pinto beans, spinach, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, and soybeans. Omega-3 fatty acids promote blood circulation and neurotransmitter activity, which aids brain processing and cognition.
Foods high in magnesium are beneficial because they aid in message transmission in the brain. Scientists have connected a blueberry-rich diet to faster learning, better reasoning, and improved memory retention. Choline, found in vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower, has the ability to aid in the formation of new brain cells as well as improve cognitive function in older persons.
Complex carbs provide sustained energy to your brain and body. Eat foods like whole wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal, high-fiber cereal, lentils, and whole wheat.
Get sufficient sleep. When you don’t get enough sleep, your brain’s performance suffers. So getting adequate sleep affects creativity, thinking, cognitive functioning, problem solving, and remembering. Sleep is extremely important for memory processes, so make sure you’re entering into deeper phases of sleep to allow for memory processing.
Turn off all electronics at least 30 minutes before bedtime. That includes cell phones, PCs, and iPods. Otherwise, your brain will be overstimulated when you try to sleep, making it more difficult to fall asleep and progress through the stages of sleep.
Adults should receive at least 8 hours of sleep
Get sufficient exercise. Physical activity can increase the flow of oxygen to your brain, allowing it to process and perform more effectively. It also produces substances that improve your general mood and safeguard your brain cells. Scientists have discovered that exercise really stimulates the development of additional neurons in the brain.
Dance and martial arts are particularly effective ways to increase brain power because they activate a wide range of brain functions, including organization, coordination, planning, and judgment. You’re required to move your body in time with the music.
Learn how to meditate. Meditation, particularly mindfulness meditation, can assist to retrain the brain to function more effectively and avoid certain harmful neural pathways. Meditation relieves stress while simultaneously improving memory.
Find a peaceful area to sit, even if just for 15 minutes. Concentrate on your breathing. Say to yourself, “Breathing in, breathing out.” When your mind wanders, gently bring it back to focus on your breath.
As your meditation skills improve, take in your surroundings, the sensation of the sun on your face, the sound of the birds and the passing automobiles, and the aroma of your roommate’s spaghetti lunch.
Additionally, you can practice mindfulness by paying attention to the sensations of the water, shampoo, and other details when taking a shower. This will support your mindfulness in the present moment and help you maintain mental focus.
Drink plenty of water. Given that the majority of your brain is made of water, drinking enough liquids is crucial. If you’re dehydrated, it won’t work as well. Therefore, make sure to stay hydrated throughout the day—at least 8 6-ounce glasses.
Drinking juice made from fruits or vegetables is also a smart option. Antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables called polyphenols can help shield brain tissue from harm and maintain optimal brain function.
Reduce your level of stress. Prolonged stress can cause damage to the hippocampus, the area of the brain that aids in organizing new memories and retrieving old ones, as well as the death of brain cells. Since stress cannot be completely eliminated from your life, learning how to deal with it is something you should do very carefully.
Once more, even if you just dedicate 5 or 10 minutes of your day to meditation, it will still have a positive impact on your brain and help you manage stress. Additionally, deep breathing might be beneficial because it reduces tension and anxiety in the moment.
Acquire new knowledge. In the same manner that you would work out physically to build strength and endurance, learning something new works your brain. If you only go along the well-traveled routes of what you already know, your brain will stop evolving.
Acquiring language skills opens up new neural connections and activates a wide variety of brain regions. It requires cerebral work but will broaden your understanding.